Verbena plant named ‘Sunvivaho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunvivaho’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous and freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy plant form; white-colored flowers; freely and continuous flowering habit; long-lasting flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunvivaho’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Sunvivaho.

The new Verbena is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Verbena×hybrida cultivar Sunvivabura, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,725. The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventors from a single flowering plant found within a population of plants of ‘Sunvivabura’ in a controlled environment in October 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunvivaho have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunvivaho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunvivaho’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous and freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy         plant form.     -   3. White-colored flowers.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   5. Long-lasting flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Sunvivabura, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were shorter but broader than         plants of the cultivar Sunvivabura.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger leaves and         inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Sunvivabura.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Sunvivabura         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunvivabura         had light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunmariripi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,037. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmariripi in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than plants of         the cultivar Sunmariripi.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Sunmariripi         differed in leaf shape.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Sunmariripi         differed in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar         Sunmariripi had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sunvivaho’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Sunvivaho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices. Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about five months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were pinched one time in the spring. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida cultivar Sunvivaho. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the     Verbena×hybrida cultivar Sunvivabura, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.     No. 13,725. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About one month at 20° C. to             25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; ivory to pale brown             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant             habit; broadly inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit.             Freely branching habit with about 35 lateral branches per             plant; dense and bushy plant form.         -   Plant height.—About 14.2 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 63.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 5.6 cm. Width: About 3.6 cm. Shape: Hastate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; coarse. Venation pattern:             Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: 137A; venation, close to 145C.             Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 146A;             venation, close to 145C. Petiole length: About 4 mm. Petiole             diameter: About 1.5 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper and lower             surfaces: 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, star-shaped salverform flowers             arranged in umbels; flowers face mostly upright. Freely             flowering habit with inflorescences per plant each with             about twelve open flowers each.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring             to late autumn in Japan. Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the             plant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: N155D.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.1 cm. Depth: About 2.3 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 9.1 mm. Lobe width: About 8.8 mm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:             Developing and fully expanded petals, upper surface: 155D.             Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface: 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused; narrow tubular calyx. Length: About 9 mm.             Width: About 0.9 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About             0.4 mm. Anther color: 150B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: 10D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically one.             Pistil length: About 1.6 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: 144A. Style length: About 1.4 cm. Style color: 149C.             Ovary color: N144C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     noted to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common to     Verbena. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and tolerated     temperatures from about 0° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Sunvivaho’, as illustrated and described. 